Can Precedence Win the Melbourne Cup in his Fourth Attempt?

Can Precedence Win the Melbourne Cup in his Fourth Attempt?

Without doubt one of the most experienced horses confirmed in the final field for the Race That Stops a Nation, Precedence will contest his fourth Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on Tuesday afternoon.

Precedence will line up for his fourth Melbourne Cup appearance on Tuesday. Photo: Race Horse Photos Australia

Securing a commendable race record of ten wins and as many minor places over his 62 competitive starts to date, Precedence debuted to racing in the spring of 2008 and has secured impressive results over each of his 12 resulting campaigns.

Running eighth in his first Melbourne Cup tilt in 2010, the son of Zabeel returned in 2011 with a luckless performance for eleventh when held up on the turn and early in the final straight, but again laid a great account for himself when ninth behind Green Moon in the 2012 edition of the Melbourne Cup.

Charging home to win the Group 2 Moonee ValleyCup (2500m) in the lead-up to the 2013 Melbourne Cup, Precedence was unlucky to miss the final field of the Flemington feature by one position; balloted out of contention in position 25.

Progressing to a strong race win in the Group 3 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2600m) following the disappointment of missing his major target, the gelding out of Kowtow finished a credible third behind champion mare Streama in the Group 2 Hollindale Stakes (1800m) first-up this year before placing second in the Group 3 Premier’s Cup (2200m) most notably on May 24th; returning for a brief spell after finishing a luckless seventh when again blocked for a run in the Group 2 Brisbane Cup (2400m).

Steadily building to the task over three starts this time in, capped by competitive runs for fifth in both the Group 3 JRA Cup (2040m) and Moonee Valley Cup most recently, Precedence will leave from barrier 19 in the 2014 Melbourne Cup and has been confirmed to be partnered by jockey Michael Rodd.

Will Precedence become the first nine-year-old to win the Melbourne Cup in 2014, or will one of his many talented rivals deliver the gelding a fourth loss in the headline race?

Melbourne Cup Horse Form: #15 Precedence

Barrier: 20 (into 19)

Weight: 54.5kgs

Jockey: Michael Rodd

Trainer: Bart and James Cummings

Owners: Think Big Stud, Sir P Hogan, The Dowager Duchess Of Bedford

Age: 9YO

Gender: Gelding

Breeding: by Zabeel from Kowtow

Career: 62-10-7-3

Win: 16%

Place: 16%

Last 6: 327055

Prize Money: $1,814,530

Track: 12-2-1-0

Distance: 5-0-0-0

Current 2014 Melbourne Cup Odds: $101

Why Precedence Can Be The 2014 Melbourne Cup Winner

Will get the trip; has raced at 3200m on five prior occasions

Gets in Well with weights – required to carry just 54.5kgs

Partnered by Melbourne Cup winner Michael Rodd (Efficient, 2007)

Likely to settle in good position from wide draw

Vastly experience, in competitive form

Why Precedence Will Not Win the 2014 Melbourne Cup

Has not finished better than eighth in three previous attempts

May get held up from wide draw

No nine-year-old has ever won the Melbourne Cup

Lining up against several Group 1 winners this year

Is yet to finish inside the places in five starts at two miles.

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